Letter: Job cuts do not mean death knell for Barts

Sir: Your front-page headline 'Death-knell for Barts as job cuts are sought' (27 May), referring to a letter sent to staff at Barts, is misleading. The letter in question gave staff working within the Barts NHS Group the opportunity to volunteer for redundancy or early retirement, within certain terms, if they so wished. This is part of a major reshaping of the organisation which Barts has been undertaking for some time to improve the efficiency of its services and to bring it in line with the fiscal targets it has set itself. As Carol Bailey of Barts points out in your article, the letter is not a response to the widely reported rumours about the future of St Bartholomew's Hospital. By keeping within budget and maximising our efficiency, we are ensuring that patient care remains a priority.

Yours sincerely,

G. M. BESSER

Chief Executive

The Barts NHS Group

London, EC1

27 May